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Rahman Mridha

  • Researcher & Former Director, Pfizer, Sweden

Rahman Mridha: Researcher & Former Director, Pfizer, Sweden
Why participants of mass uprising turning into extortionists
extortionists
State and Politics

Why participants of mass uprising turning into extortionists

In Bangladesh, the story of state development nowadays is heard in newspaper pages, television announcements or from the mouths of leaders—“The country has changed,” “Development is visible,” “The dream Padma Bridge has been built,” or “Digital Bangladesh is a reality.” While these words sound striking, in reality, a cruel question also arises—who are the beneficiaries of this development? And by development, do we only mean buildings, bridges, or GDP, or is there any standard for people and humanity as well?

A new Bangladesh through the eyes of an expatriate Bengali
expatriate Bengali
State and Politics

A new Bangladesh through the eyes of an expatriate Bengali

I am a village boy. I grew up walking muddy paths, enduring storms and rain, and studying under the light of a hurricane lamp. A few years in the village school, then at a school in a sub-divisional (now district) town, and later at Dhaka Residential Model School and College (DRMC)—this was the path of my education. From there, I passed HSC and set off for distant Sweden. Back then, I didn’t realise how uncomfortable the simplest questions in life could make someone, and how even speaking the truth could sometimes be seen as a fault. I learnt Bengali in the village—from my mother’s mouth, from the scent of the earth. The accent may not be urban, but it is full of heart. To many, this language might seem ‘broken’, but it is in this broken language that I have been writing for the last 10 years. I know that words require not only grammar but also the essence of the heart. My language is not for paper, but for life.

Why students’ moral uprising being robbed?
Why students’ moral uprising being robbed?
State and Politics

Why students’ moral uprising being robbed?

Students in Bangladesh are no longer confined to the lessons of the classroom alone. They are now voicing, loudly and clearly, in the streets, squares, digital platforms and media – that the structural inequality, corruption and opportunism in this country can no longer continue. This moral awakening of the youth is not just a symbol of a government’s fall, but the beginning of a new way of thinking about the state.

Sweden’s proportional election and reality of Bangladesh
Sweden
State and Politics

Sweden’s proportional election and reality of Bangladesh

Democracy in Bangladesh stands today at a difficult crossroads. On the one hand, we move forward with a constitutional promise of democracy; on the other hand, in reality, political occupation, dynastic rule, party extortion, and one-party authoritarian governance obstruct our path. Elections are no longer a reflection of public opinion—they have become a cruel strategy for consolidating power. To resolve this crisis, structural reform of the electoral system is now the demand of the time. The Proportional Representation (PR) system, used in many democratic countries around the world, is now a timely and realistic alternative for Bangladesh. In my four decades of experience as a citizen, researcher, and voter in Sweden, I have seen how a PR-based parliamentary democracy can lead a society towards justice, peace, and progress.

Interim government: Breakdown of trust and crisis of accountability
Interim government
State and Politics

Interim government: Breakdown of trust and crisis of accountability

Following the mass uprising last August, the interim government of Bangladesh came to power with promises to restore democratic order and alleviate the suffering of ordinary people. It presented itself as a reform-oriented and good-governance-committed transitional caretaker government. But nearly a year later, the country is now plunged into deeper uncertainty—where extreme mismanagement, growing inequality, and a widening gap between state power and citizen welfare are becoming increasingly evident. What was supposed to be a bridge to stability is now turning into a fall into the abyss of uncertainty.

Bangladesh's politics and people's struggle: A fearless analysis
Rahman Mridha
State and Politics

Bangladesh's politics and people's struggle: A fearless analysis

Elections in Bangladesh once were a festival of democracy, an expression of people’s hopes and aspirations; but that festival is now merely a memory of the past. The December 2008 election might have been a pre-fixed game, yet the people felt the atmosphere of festivity. Since then, elections have never felt like a celebration. In 2014, when a one-party government secured 254 out of 300 seats, the 2018 parliament was formed through a night-time vote, and in the 2024 election, the registration itself was one-sided—these processes prove that there is no such thing as an election in this country anymore.